The NIAF Gala Awards Dinner is one of the premier annual events in
Washington, DC, attracting more than 3,100 people from throughout the
country and abroad.  Members of the Italian American Congressional
Delegation, and Italian American leaders in business, sports, entertainment
and the arts are expected at the event which has been attended by every U.S.
President since 1975.   U.S. Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania is this
year's dinner chairman.

            During the dinner, a special NIAF award will be presented to
actor Christopher Reeve and his wife, Dana Morosini Reeve, for their
outstanding work raising funding for spinal cord injury research.   Business
honorees at this year's gala include Domenico De Sole, president and CEO of
Gucci Group NV, and Roger Enrico, vice chairman of PepsiCo, Inc.  Mr. De
Sole and Mr. Enrico will receive NIAF Special Achievement  Awards in Fashion
and Industry, and Business, respectively.
    
    Nicolas Cage won an Academy Award for his performance in "Leaving
Las Vegas" in 1996.  He  began acting at age 15 when he enrolled in San
Francisco's American Conservatory Theater and appeared in the school's
production of "Golden Boy."  As a high school student in Los Angeles, Cage
landed a role in the television film "The Best of Times."  He made his
feature film debut in "Rumble Fish," but it was Cage's portrayal of a
tormented Vietnam vet in "Birdy" that first established him as a serious
actor. 
            
           This year, Cage received the first ever 2001 Distinguished Decade
in Film Award at Sho West.  He was also honored at the famous Hollywood
Boulevard Hand/Foot print  ceremony at Grauman's Chinese Theater and in
September, Cage was honored by the American Cinematheque with the 2001
Moving Picture Ball Award.

    Cage received Golden Globe nominations as Best Actor for his role as
Cher's lover in "Moonstruck" and the romantic comedy "Honeymoon in Vegas.
"The film "Wild at Heart," starring Cage and Laura Dern, won the Palm d'Or
at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival.    His other film credits include "Valley
Girl," "Cotton Club, "Racing with the Moon," "The Boy in Blue," "Peggy Sue
Got Married, "Raising Arizona," "Vampire Kiss,"  "Fire Birds,"  "Gone in 60
Seconds," "Bring out the Dead,"  "Eight Millimeter," "Snake Eyes," "City of
Angels" and "Face Off."  He also appeared in "The Family Man" which was
released by Universal in December 2000.
        
    This summer, movie-goers saw him in Universal Pictures "Captain
Corelli's Mandolin" in which he played an Italian officer  who participated
in the tragic revolt of Italian soldiers against their former German allies
during World War II.
    
    In November, Cage will appear in John Woo's "Windtalkers," the MGM
World War II  feature about two U.S. Marines who are assigned to protect
Navajo Marines who use their language as a secret  radio code.  In April
2002, Cage will star in the new Spike Jonze and Charlie Kauffman film,
"Adaptation" for Columbia Tristar.

           During the Gala Awards weekend, the NIAF will hold a CEO
conference for leading Italian American business executives, Friday October
19.  Alan Greenspan, chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System, will brief the executives during a private luncheon on
Capitol Hill followed by a White House briefing.  The NIAF convention will
also feature conferences, exhibits, the traditional celebrity luncheon and
auction, a seminar on tourism, and a wine and olive oil tasting hosted by
Bolla Wines and Colavita USA.

    Dinner tickets begin at $350 each. Proceeds from the event benefit
the NIAF Scholarship and Education Programs and "Gardens of Hope," an
inner-city food program to benefit the homeless and those in shelters.  For
tickets or sponsor information, contact: Jerry Jones at 202/939-3102 or
jerry@niaf.org.
    
The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) is a non-profit organization
based in Washington, DC and dedicated to preserving  the heritage of Italian
Americans.  

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  NIAF: Elissa Ruffino, 202/387-0600